A stowaway was discovered on a Delta flight bound for Hawaii from Seattle on Christmas Eve, causing a two-hour delay. The passenger, whose name has not been released, made it through TSA screening without a boarding pass and was discovered by flight attendants just minutes before takeoff. The situation forced the pilot to return to the gate.
Stowaway caught on Delta flight during holiday travel rush
Delta Air Lines Flight 487 was preparing for takeoff from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to Honolulu on Tuesday when a passenger was found without a boarding pass. The unticketed person went through a TSA screening checkpoint the evening before the flight. But the next day, the person “gained access to the loading bridge without a scanned ticket at the gate,” according to airport media relations manager Perry Cooper, CNN reported.
As the Airbus A321neo made a U-turn from the tarmac, Port of Seattle police officers were dispatched to gate B1 at the airport around 1:05 pm for “a report of a suspicious circumstance.” “The aircraft returned to the terminal and the subject departed the aircraft,” the Port of Seattle said, adding, “With the help of video surveillance, POSPD were able to locate the subject in a terminal restroom. The subject was arrested for criminal trespass.”
The Port of Seattle further said the plane was “swept by K9 as well as all areas in the terminal accessed by the subject.” “The aircraft was deplaned and all passengers were escorted by TSA to return to the security checkpoint for rescreening,” they added. In the wake of the growing safety concerns, TSA said it “will independently review the circumstances of this incident at our travel document checker station at Seattle/Tacoma International.”
{{/usCountry}}The Port of Seattle further said the plane was “swept by K9 as well as all areas in the terminal accessed by the subject.” “The aircraft was deplaned and all passengers were escorted by TSA to return to the security checkpoint for rescreening,” they added. In the wake of the growing safety concerns, TSA said it “will independently review the circumstances of this incident at our travel document checker station at Seattle/Tacoma International.”
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, Delta Airlines apologised for the incident in a statement that read, “As there are no matters more important than safety and security, Delta people followed procedures to have an unticketed passenger removed from the flight and then apprehended. We apologize to our customers for the delay in their travels and thank them for their patience and cooperation.”